The History of the Peloponnesian War

A strong and authoritative account of war, focused on human motivation rather than divine mythology

Thucydides (translated by Benjamin Jowett).

The History of the Peloponnesian War

Chelsea: The Ashendene Press, 1930. First Thus.This copy one of 260 printed on paper (an additional 20 were printed on vellum). Bound in the original publisher's full white pigskin binding by W. H. Smith and Son, lacking the slipcase. In Near Fine condition overall, slight toning on the spine and a bit of rubbing at the base of the spine. Internal contents in Fine condition.

Printed in black Ptolomey type with marginal chapter summaries in red Blado Italic type, the first time St. John Hornby used a different type for the side-notes. Three-line initials from the alphabet designed by Eric Gill for "Utopia." Marginal chapter summeries and opening lines designed by Graily Hewitt, printed in red.

"When Thucydides set out to compose his work, the writing of warfare was already a notable tradition launched with a bang by the legendary Homer about three centuries earlier...He was followed 300 years later by Herodotus, who gave an account of the Persian Wars, similarly rich in iconic battles and larger than life personalities on both sides of the conflict. With Thucydides, the writing of war took a new direction. In contrast to the wars of Homer and Herodotus, the armed conflict that concerned Thucydides was fought primarily among Greeks. It also involved events which occurred within the author's lifetime, which introduced a contemporary dimension to the genre. Thucydides focused on offering a strong and authoritative account of the war, its causes, and its behind the scenes negotiations. To this end, he largely left out the gods and religious explanations more generally...Instead, he offered a deel analysis of human factors and motivations" (Finley). In this sense, Thucydides did more than leave historians with an account of the war published close to its conclusion; he created a new expectation for the genre of history and the work of historians.